Link roundup

1. The fake Jack & Jill Twitter account was almost certainly funnier than the film.

2. Rats enjoy being tickled and laugh.

3. Seems a little too cinematic to be a faithful report - - but this article about a death on Disney cruise ship is certainly interesting. And don't miss this article about what life is like for Disney cruise ship workers. Via.

4. The college football all-name team, including Yourhighness Morgan and Mister Cobble.

5. My 4 and 6 year-olds love Scribblenauts. Do you recommend any other educational iOS apps? (Math, science, reading, history, whatever).

Link roundup

1. T-Bob Hebert and Spiffy Evans - - two players on Grantland's 2011-12 College Football All-Name Team.

2. I enjoyed the copy of Lady with a Past: A Petulant French Sculptor, His Quest for Immortality, and the Real Story of the Statue of Liberty I was sent. Lots of interesting information about the building of the Statue of Liberty. For example, sculptor Frédéric Auguste Bartholdi devised the Statue of Liberty only after he tried and failed to convince "Ismail the Magnificent" of Egypt to build a rather different statue in Egypt:

His sculpture depicted a robed fellah, an Egyptian slave, holding a torch aloft in her stout hand.

The Kindle single is $2 at Amazon.

3. Comment and win an art book.

Link roundup

1. Kim Jon-Il's exiled grandson is named Han Sol.

2. Hand signals used by restaurant staff. Via.

3. Mysterious Russian radio tower. Via.

4. The Daily seems to be doing terribly, but it does feature a lot of great articles, such as this one about Zach Baron's misadventures in Las Vegas.

Link roundup

1. News Corp does enough terrible things that you shouldn't have to make up claims.

2. Google's first social network Orkut was briefly very popular in Finland:

Orkut [the Google engineer who built orkut] is Turkish, so we had no idea when we launched it that in Finland evidently that same word means “multiple sexual climaxes.” When people saw a product called orkut, they thought it was a dating service or sex site, and it took off quickly. As soon as they saw what it actually was, interest cooled somewhat.

3. To take a screenshot on an iPhone, hold down the lock button and the home button at the same time for about one second until the screen flashes white. Via.

Image roundup

Ministry of Magic access point.




Most popular names in Europe for newborns.




Grains of sand - - one of the many terrific magnified photographs by Gary Greenberg that are available as prints. Via.




"Easter eggs" from The Dark Knight Rises poster. Via.



Image from The Anthology Project, I believe.




There's Waldo.




Rapture wallpaper.




Solar system.

Dragonpuncher 3: The Punchening

Dragonpuncher 3: The Punchening - - from a recent Conan O'Brien episode.

*Previously: Steven Seagal is "Cockpuncher."

Link roundup

1. St. John's new prize basketball recruit is named God's Gift Achiuwa.

2. A detailed, lengthy analysis of the wisdom of building a Death Star and actually using it to destroy a planet. For example:

So, the Emperor and Tarkin focus on making one really huge, high-impact investment: The Death Star. They throw in Alderaan as part of that investment. This doomsday weapon will supposedly free up their resources to spend less on administration, personnel and infrastructure, and continue to function without a Senate. It seems like a big investment until you realize how much they save by not actually having a functioning government.

This is an attractive option even today, as politicians look to pay for tax cuts and handouts to core constituencies by laying off or cutting salaries and benefits for bureaucrats and government workers, as well as by skimping on infrastructure.

The problem, of course, is that it doesn’t work. The underpaid, undermotivated, poorly managed stormtroopers can’t even track down the Empire’s most wanted fugitive androids in an extremely sparsely populated area where they have undisputed control. If Tatooine still had meaningful senatorial representation and local government, Luke never would have gotten off the planet. Whole systems just break away and form not just a resistance, but a giant frickin’ fleet of spaceships that destroy not one, but two death stars. The failure of leadership is so total and complete that Tarkin is killed in his own fortress and the Emperor is murdered in his own office by his own right-hand man.

3. Guide to utilizing Chrome, including various useful extensions.

Link roundup

1. Beyonce dancing at a block party on her in-laws' street.

2. Jersey Shore is apparently called The New Jersey Life of Macaroni Rascals in Japan.

3. Michael Caine offers his interpretation of the end of Inception. Via.

4. Hide your delicious lunch from office thieves by placing it in Lean Cuisine frozen meal boxes. Via.

*Buy Inception spinning tops at eBay.

Link roundup

1. If Jack Bauer had replaced Jacob as the protector of the island on Lost.

2. Scans from a journal kept by a 6-year-old girl on a three-year-long whaling voyage beginning in 1868. (She didn't draw any pictures?) Via these sites.

3. David Fincher's The Social Network is about the "rise of the terror nerd."

*Buy scrimshaw collections at Amazon.

Link roundup

1. Yet another ad campaign ripping off an artist.

2. Chef Jamie Oliver's kids are named Buddy Bear Maurice Oliver, Poppy Honey, Daisy Boo, and Petal. Via.

3. An Egyptian newspaper was caught photoshopping a picture of Obama and Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak.

*Buy legal guides for artists at Amazon.

Link roundup

1. I hate giving Palin any publicity, but the phrase "a cackle of rads" sounds pretty cool.

2. Here's part of what the Shake Weight inventor has to say about the ludicrous commercials for his product:

That's one way to put it. Sure, infomercials can be a bit steamy – think back to the Power Rider, and Suzanne Somers and the Thigh Master – but isn't this different?

I think there are sexy bodies selling lots of things—clothes, magazines, fitness equipment—all the time. There are a lot of 30-minute infomercials that use sex and good-looking bodies to get people's attention. We probably got more attention than most because our product was funny. And back when we were making the show, there were a couple of jokes going around the set about what it looks like if you do it a certain way. But that wasn't our master plan and we've had to spend a lot of money on PR so people knew it actually worked.

What about the Shake Weight for Men – was that a trickier video to make ready for marketing?

Well, in the men's there's no room for sexual innuendo there, because it's such an intense workout. We did it with Navy Seals and Army Rangers, and saw if they could do it for three minutes. They couldn't.

Via.

3. Well-edited video showing Chris Haley and Curt Franklin competing to purchase the best item for $10 at Comicon.

Clot x Stussy 30th Respect T-Shirt (link roundup)

Clot x Stussy 30th Respect T-Shirt.

And a few more links:

1. White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen's sons are named Ozney and Oney.

2. The today shows gets as close as possible to starting the morning with hardcore porn.

3. Cosplay based on Gary Baseman art (bottom of the post).

*Previously: Duck Hunt sweater by Clot.

*Buy Gary Basemen toys at eBay.

Movies as vintage video games (link roundup)

One of several movies as vintage video games by Robert Penney. Via these fine sites.

And a few more links:

1. Great article on Simon Cowell's tumultuous history at American Idol. Via.

2. Canada's second oldest magazine decided it simply had to change it's name. "Market research showed us that younger Canadians and women were very very unlikely to ever buy a magazine called The Beaver no matter what it's about." Via.

3. For all us KOTOR fans, it looks like there will son be a Bastila Shan action figure since she won a recent online poll. (Hopefully it'll come out better than the atrocious Darth Malak.)

*Previously: John Carter of Mars vintage video game.

*Buy KOTOR toys at eBay.

The Comedian Lego CubeDude (link roundup)

Watchmen's The Comedian as a Lego CubeDude by Larry Lars.

And a few more links:

1. A marine worm's secretions might be the key to creating a glue that will help bones knit back together.

2. Zeppy O’Geen and other names from the 2010 lacrosse all-name team.

3. A sad statement on the intelligence of Redskins fans: "The Washington Redskins make more money than any other professional sports franchise in the United States."

*Previously: The Washington Redskins are selling beer in the bathrooms now?

*Buy NFL bobbleheads at eBay.

Ancient Temples (link roundup)

Phrygian Tomb of Midas and rock tombs of Caria - - photographs of cliff-carved cave temples from ancient Greece and Turkey by Takeo Kamiya. Bldg Blog has context.

And a few more links:

1. A suggestion that the majority people who line up for Black Friday deals are simply planning on reselling the items.

2. Photos of a squirrel attacking a dog to protect its child.

3. Los Angeles police are looking for a serial killer known as the "Grim Sleeper."

*Previously: Cliff House.

*Buy serial killer trading cards at Amazon.

Kill Zombie Teletubbies (link roundup)

Left 4 Teletubbies: Even the Teletubbies Have Been Infected.

And a few more links:

1. Haven't listened to it yet, but here's a new podcast interview of China Mieville.

2. Gratuitous Space Battles is possibly the best video game name ever.

3. Unicorn with a lightsaber horn.

*Previously: If the Teletubbies dressed like condoms, they'd look like this.

*Don't buy Teletubbies at eBay.

Steampowered Bicycle (link roundup)

Steampunk motorcycle by Richard Peter Han. See also Young Lady's Illustrated Primer fan art.

And a few more links:

1. Too graphic to post, Amnesty International ads featuring abused Snow White and Little Red Riding Hood (the ads are about domestic violence).

2. Dave Cousens now has a webstore.

3. Here's a name: SunShine MacWane (good artist, too).

*Previously: Twisted versions of Little Red Riding Hood and Alice in Wonderland.

*Buy Snow White toys at eBay.

Mini Coupé Concept Car (link roundup)

Mini Coupé Concept Car. Lots more photos here. Via these sites.

And a few more links:

1. Poketo plus Nike Madsteez’s Stinkween shoes, with very limited edition metal monster figure.

2. Michael Jackson as snake-tongued monster.

3. I hope you weren't planning on visiting Scum Lake in Canada any time soon. Via.

*Previously: Concept art for a futuristic version of 20K Leagues Under the Sea.

*Buy toy concept cars at eBay.

Dark Knight Tumbler Go Kart (link roundup)

Dark Knight Tumbler Go Kart. Here's the official site. And you'll find plans to make your own on sale at eBay. Via.

And a few more links:

1. A stuntman broke his neck and died during a rehearsal of the Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular at Disney's Hollywood Studios. It's the third Walt Disney World employee death in the last seven weeks. Via.

2. Brainscans used as Rorschach tests.

3. Cool name: Magico Nakamura.

*Previously: Lego Tumbler.

*Buy Batmobiles at eBay.

Neil Gaiman and Amanda Palmer, interviewed in a bathtub (link roundup)

Neil Gaiman (fully dressed) and Amanda Palmer (less clothed), interviewed in a bathtub.

And a few more links:

1. That cold case that recently led to LAPD Detective Stephanie Lazarus being arrested for the murder of Sherri Rae Rasmussen she allegedly committed in 1986? Yeah, the victim's family begged the police to investigate Lazarus back when the crime was committed.

2. Strange Wizard of Oz concept art.

3. The Dog Whisperer's wife is named "Ilusion."

4. Cancer patient was held for several hours by United States immigration officials when they could not detect his fingerprints -- which had apparently disappeared because he was taking the drug, capecitabine, which is commonly used to treat cancer.

*Previously: Funny homemade optical illusion ad for Wonderbra.

*Buy Wizard of Oz toys at eBay.